Still having neck issues - need suggestions

Ecosse · Post by **Ecosse** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:34 pm

OK lads, since i started shaving (prob 20 years ago) I've had issues with the neck. When I first started shaving I had awful razor burn on my neck. Fast forward 20 years and with the switch to DE shaving, I'm still having neck 'issues' It seems that after 4 passes I still haven't cleared away the stubble and I have to be careful I don't irritate my neck. I've tried WTG, XTG and ATG but still stumped.

Has anybody out there had issues with the neck in the past and able to rectify it? Any tips?

jww · Post by **jww** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:36 pm

My one tip would be to not fuss and fume about bbs on your neck if it is a sensitive area. BBS is a very relative thing.

4 passes seems excessive to me. I presume you are good with maintaining the proper blade angle (toughest for me on the neck), and razor pressure (equally tough).

KAV · Post by **KAV** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:46 pm

"You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." Do you have a 'significant other' or whatever we used to all our main squeeze? Ask them to do a light pass for you.

Ecosse · Post by **Ecosse** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 6:26 pm

jww wrote:My one tip would be to not fuss and fume about bbs on your neck if it is a sensitive area. BBS is a very relative thing.

4 passes seems excessive to me. I presume you are good with maintaining the proper blade angle (toughest for me on the neck), and razor pressure (equally tough).

Hmm, blade angle is one thing I easily overlook, I'll watch for that.

CJS · Post by **CJS** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:15 pm

I have a similar problem. The hair on my neck grows horizontally, so there is NO way I can go against the grain on it. My hair is also really dark, so I never get to achieve a BBS shave by visual standards.

I only end up doing two passes on my neck because I'd rather have clean and clear looking skin than bumps and redness all day. It's a trade-off I've been happy with.

jww · Post by **jww** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:31 am

Ecosse wrote:
jww wrote:My one tip would be to not fuss and fume about bbs on your neck if it is a sensitive area. BBS is a very relative thing.

4 passes seems excessive to me. I presume you are good with maintaining the proper blade angle (toughest for me on the neck), and razor pressure (equally tough).
Hmm, blade angle is one thing I easily overlook, I'll watch for that.

The angle of blade needs to change constantly on the neck -- especially with a xtg pass (which is always my final pass on the neck). I have gotten to the point when I can now tell when I have the wrong angle just by the way the razor and blade feel against my skin.

JarmoP · Post by **JarmoP** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:53 am

Neck is where the wet shaving excels over like electric shavers for me. The hairs are less coarse, for me. The skin there is very delicate though there, for me.

So the the answer is 2 pass at most. If not BBS after that who cares? It is a hidden zone, I would get most best lather in there, squeeze out of brush and shave how ever you don't get irritation. As a day reminder.

alabamalawyer · Post by **alabamalawyer** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:04 pm

Make sure you map out the direction of hair growth on your neck. My neck is easily irritated so I have to be careful in my passes to go WTG, XTG and then very lightly ATG. There is one area on my neck that my WTG pass is S-N. By figuring this out, I was able to eliminate the irritation I was getting there by starting with my traditional N-S pass, that was in fact, ATG.

Lou · Post by **Lou** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:25 pm

I have one small patch on my neck that, no matter how careful I am, will get cut and razor burned if I try anything beyond a very gentle WTG and XTG pass there. The growth direction is opposite in that spot, so I can immediately feel it if I rub my finger down my neck. That bothered me for a long while - thus many unsuccessful attempts to get more detailed there - but I finally decided to accept it for what it is.

marsos52 · Post by **marsos52** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:29 pm

ok you tried 4 passes and that is not working alomg with everything else

so maybe you may want to consider trying a different razor and or a different blade and even another brand of soap or cream

it is possible your blade is just not sharp enough for the hardest area to shave. and the same goes for the razor too. example a super speed loaded with a derby just may not work in a hard to shave areas

so maybe stepping up with a sharper blade or maybe a little more aggressive razor will get the job done. also a sharper blade and more aggressive razor means using less pressure and that is a good thing too.

sometimes the soap/cream can be too protective and just not allow the razor and blade to cut close enough

just a few thoughts and adding another direction to try,

dont forget about skin stretching to, that is a really big help too

marc

sailorman · Post by **sailorman** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 9:40 am

I have the same problem in the neck area. I've just about got it whipped though, depending on which razor I'm using. The break-through has come mostly from going to Very short strokes. I'm talking <1/2" in most areas, almost like "buffing". That, stretching, slowing down and paying close attention to razor angle has produced some 2-3 pass BBS for my neck lately.

Oh, and don't be afraid to re-lather in midstream.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:21 pm

Gary, the neck can be a really difficult area to shave, and is an area I still have some difficulty with from time to time.

Firstly, you may be overdoing it a tad with the fourth pass; I'm sure three decent passes would be adequate.

Keep the strokes nice and short, and be mindful of your blade angle. Also be careful not to 'bear down' on the razor, so keep a light touch.

I think another important thing is to know when to quit. I wouldn't get TOO hung up about the whole BBS thing. Aim for a nice, irritation free shave and then stop.

L. Martino · Post by **L. Martino** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:40 pm

Hiya Gary,

The problem could be you need a sharper blade. Or, it may be the blade's fine and you need a more aggressive razor. Or, it may be some sorta combination of the two.......heh. Yeah, you might even need to change both items.

Sorry.......didn't mean to scare you there. Just giving you a few things to think about. Hopefully, the equipment's fine and maybe this video by Mark(Mantic) will do the trick. You will want to look at the part about 'J hooking', which I use on my neck with good success. You might already even be doing that, and if so then your problem will most likely be the blade or razor.

Hope this helps somehow,

Martin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQco5PWc2JU

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:57 pm

Gary, I haven't got any insight other than what's been mentioned so I'll just agree with Gareth.

alcx77 · Post by **alcx77** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:36 pm

I find it helpful to concetrate on the old adage "Shave your beard, not your face."

Alan
[Currently]
Futur
Bic blade [Shaves so far 8]
Omega Syntex bush
VDH & Trumpers Sandlewood soaps

Magnus6208 · Post by **Magnus6208** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:38 pm

I have actually found that I get a better shave when I "dial up" the aggressiveness on my adjustable razors. I do a three pass shave set on a 7. When I started wet shaving about 15 months ago, I could barely muster up the couragge to shave with the razor set on a 2. As my technique and light handed touch has improved, I have gradually increased to a 7 and I get irritation free shaves. You might want to try a more aggressive razor and make sure that your touch is light. Good luck.

best,

Gary

yuppiejr · Post by **yuppiejr** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:20 pm

I struggled a lot with my neck when I first started DE shaving a few weeks ago. Technique was key but I have a heavy beard and getting the fur off so it looks like I actually shaved also took the right blade. After some trial and error I found a mild razor (Gillette SS) paired with a super sharp blade (Feather, Iridiums) let me finish the neck in fewer passes which meant less razor burn even though the razor was significantly sharper than the more "forgiving" models normally suggested to new shavers.

Two products I found also helped tame the angry neck beast... Aqua Velva with it's huge menthol punch and Udderly Smooth Udder Cream at $5 for 12 oz. Assuming you get past the spotted jar and instructions on how to properly moisturize cow teats it's seriously good stuff. Unscented, leaves no residue and is full of Lanolin which seems to rehydrate my face after a shave better than anything else I've tried. I usually let the AV go from burn to icy cool and then throw on the teat-cream with a follow-up second application 15-20 minutes after.

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:37 pm

I'll weigh in...

Gary, I change the angle of my passes on the neck. The WTG is more like a Gillette slide, as is the ATG. The cross pass is even angled...

For reference, my beard is dark and thick, and the hairs on my neck grow flat.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:09 pm

I'd venture to suggest that you prepare a map of the direction of the growth, and then use that as a guide. I'm still trying to figure out what area grows in what direction, and how to address those areas according to what the map shows. But bottom lline, it isn't rocket science, it's just a couple of minutes with some lather on your face and your razor in hand.

I usually devote some careful razor strokes at what I perceive is the WTG, XTG, and maybe even an ATG. Much of what I do in the morning is just because I find the process of shaving so pleasant. After I've given it a good shot, I just declare the shave at an end and call it good. There's always tomorrow, and it's definitely true that nobody cares if a goat like me has missed a whiisker or two.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 4:38 pm

I agree with Gary that you may find benefit in 'mapping' the direction of growth.

You may also benefit from experimenting with a slightly sharper blade. I found that employing a sharper blade (in my case, a Feather), yielded a closer shave but without the need to 'bear down' with the razor. In my case, the extra sharpness of the blade encouraged me to take very light, short strokes (WTG) and to be more mindful of the blade angle.

Gareth